Amour secret

Shot in beautiful Switzerland, Stille Liebe tells the story of Antonia (Emmanuelle Laborit), a deaf and mute nun who meets Mikas, a deaf pick-pocket while travelling to the homeless shelter where she assists in the kitchen. Antonia's relationship builds with Mikas to a point where she is torn between her faith and the man she has fallen in love with. Among some of the other characters is Mother Superior Verena (Renate Becker); a wonderfully loving, yet very disciplined woman who takes Antonia under her wing in the Convent.

While the cinematography is nothing extra special, it is the audio track that captures your attention. Dialogue scenes between Antonia and Mikas have no audible speech and what you are left with is just the soft ambiance of the surroundings. The audio track itself is very soft for the majority of the film - thus any breach of this softness is reserved for very poignant events.

Co-written by director Christoph Schaub, this film is unique in the way it portrays a deaf character. Of course the usual communication issues exist, but we see more of need and desire to be among people who are similar. The communication issues can always be resolved, but the desire to be among your own people, people who are like you, people who don't have the need for things to be explained to them... this is what really drives Antonia in the decisions she makes throughout the film.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film.

This movie is really impressive - and you have to be very attentively while watching it; most of it is shot in Bearing Language with subtitles! So you feel very unused just not to hear the actors speaking, which makes this movie very unique. Although the plot is foreseeable it's worth seeing it. The actors are playing well and when you consider, that it is a movie shot in Switzerland.....

If you want a love story that's different, this is it!

At first I thought that this was a most unlikely relationship. Can you imagine a nun who devotes her life to the needy finding a close relationship with an ex-circus performer? Hardly. But when you discover that they have a common disability - they are both deaf - you come to believe that anything is possible where love is concerned.

These two friends who become lovers "speak" with the sign language and they are very adept at it. There is much gesticulation in scene after scene, but with the sub-titles it works very well. Indeed it's quite fascinating to watch and after a time one is able to interpret some of the gestures.

The friendship starts with a chance meeting when he makes a reservation at the Centre catering for the needy and homeless. The young man seems affectionate and caring and the nun is soon attracted to him. With some gentle persuasion he induces her to share his bed and she enjoys her first sexual experience.

There is an interesting discussion about the Theatre for the Deaf in which the deaf players use the sign language on stage. Note also that the predominantly deaf audience has a different way of showing its appreciation at the end of the play. The sound of clapping is meaningless. Their hands are fluttered in the air above their heads.

The whole film is enjoyable with interesting characters some of whom are frustrated because they feel excluded from the world of deafness. And despite the poverty and homelessness of the unfortunate people who come to the Centre for their meals the film maintains an air of cheerfulness.

Altogether it's an interestinfg experience.

This was indeed a unique film about love. I like the German title of 'Silent' Love, rather than the English title 'Secret' Love, as it was not a furtive affair and 'silent' better describes nature of the two main characters. Watch it with an open mind, as you might find the pace a little slow, but if you sit through it, you will be rewarded. Both Otterstedt and Laborit are perfect for the roles they play; Antonia (Laborit), a nun who has yet to live out her ambitions and Mikas (Otterstedt), an ex-circus performer who uses his nimble hands to pickpocket. Through Mikas, Antonia slowly opens her eyes to the world and herself. This movie left me longing and a little broken-hearted, but the ending was unpredictable and surprising. I loved the intimacy of the characters through the use of sign and found their acting natural. This movie stayed with me for a really long time after I've finished watching it. I wish I could find out more information on the two leading characters, as I found them to be fascinating. Highly recommended.